Book of Mark

Summary of the Gospel of Mark

This summary of the Gospel of Mark provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme,
theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Gospel of Mark.

Author

Although there is no direct internal evidence of authorship,
it was the unanimous testimony of the early church that
this Gospel was written by John Mark ("John, also called
Mark," Ac 12:12,25; 15:37). The most important evidence
comes from Papias (c. a.d. 140), who quotes an even earlier
source as saying: (1) Mark was a close associate of Peter,
from whom he received the tradition of the things said
and done by the Lord; (2) this tradition did not come
to Mark as a finished, sequential account of the life
of our Lord, but as the preaching of Peter -- preaching directed
to the needs of the early Christian communities; (3) Mark
accurately preserved this material. The conclusion drawn
from this tradition is that the Gospel of Mark largely
consists of the preaching of Peter arranged and shaped
by Mark (see note on Ac 10:37).

John Mark in the NT

It is generally agreed that the Mark who is associated
with Peter in the early non-Biblical tradition is also the
John Mark of the NT. The first mention of him is in connection
with his mother, Mary, who had a house in Jerusalem that
served as a meeting place for believers (Ac 12:12). When
Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch from Jerusalem after
the famine visit, Mark accompanied them (Ac 12:25). Mark
next appears as a "helper" to Paul and Barnabas on their
first missionary journey (Ac 13:5), but he deserted them
at Perga in Pamphylia (see map, p. 2273) to return to Jerusalem
(Ac 13:13). Paul must have been deeply disappointed with
Mark's actions on this occasion, because when Barnabas proposed
taking Mark on the second journey, Paul flatly refused,
a refusal that broke up their working relationship (Ac 15:36-39).
Barnabas took Mark, who was his cousin (Col 4:10), and departed
for Cyprus. No further mention is made of either of them
in the book of Acts. Mark reappears in Paul's letter to
the Colossians written from Rome. Paul sends a greeting
from Mark and adds: "You have received instructions about
him; if he comes to you, welcome him" (Col 4:10; see Phm
24, written about the same time). At this point Mark was
apparently beginning to win his way back into Paul's confidence.
By the end of Paul's life, Mark had fully regained Paul's
favor (see 2Ti 4:11 and note).

Date of Composition

Some, who hold that Matthew and Luke used Mark as a major
source, have suggested that Mark may have been composed
in the 50s or early 60s. Others have felt that the content
of the Gospel and statements made about Mark by the early
church fathers indicate that the book was written shortly
before the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. See essay
and chart, p. 1943.

Place of Origin

According to early church tradition, Mark was written
"in the regions of Italy" (Anti-Marcionite Prologue) or,
more specifically, in Rome (Irenaeus; Clement of Alexandria).
These same authors closely associate Mark's writing of the
Gospel with the apostle Peter. The above evidence is consistent
with (1) the historical probability that Peter was in Rome
during the last days of his life and was martyred there,
and (2) the Biblical evidence that Mark also was in Rome
about the same time and was closely associated with Peter
(see 2Ti 4:11; 1Pe 5:13, where the word "Babylon" may be
a cryptogram for Rome; see also Introduction to 1 Peter: Place of Writing).

Recipients

The evidence points to the church at Rome, or at least
to Gentile readers. Mark explains Jewish customs (7:2-4; 15:42), translates Aramaic words (3:17; 5:41; 7:11,34; 15:22,34) and seems to have a special interest in persecution and
martyrdom (8:34-38; 13:9-13) -- subjects of special concern
to Roman believers (and to Peter as well; cf. 1 Peter).
A Roman destination would explain the almost immediate acceptance
of this Gospel and its rapid dissemination.

Occasion and Purpose

Since Mark's Gospel is traditionally associated with Rome,
it may have been occasioned by the persecutions of the Roman
church in the period c. a.d. 64-67. The famous fire of Rome
in 64 -- probably set by Nero himself but blamed on Christians -- resulted
in widespread persecution. Even martyrdom was not unknown
among Roman believers. Mark may be writing to prepare his
readers for such suffering by placing before them the life
of our Lord. There are many references, both explicit and
veiled, to suffering and discipleship throughout his Gospel
(see 1:12-13; 3:22,30; 8:34-38; 10:30,33-34,45; 13:8-13).

Emphases

Discipleship. Special attention should
be paid to the passages on discipleship that arise from
Jesus' predictions of his passion (8:34 -- 9:1; 9:35 -- 10:31;
10:42 -- 45).

The teachings of Jesus. Although Mark records
far fewer actual teachings of Jesus than the other Gospel
writers, there is a remarkable emphasis on Jesus as
teacher. The words "teacher," "teach" or "teaching,"
and "Rabbi" are applied to Jesus in Mark 39 times.

The Messianic secret. On several occasions
Jesus warns his disciples or others to keep silent about
who he is or what he has done (see 1:34,44 and notes;
3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:30; 9:9).

Special Characteristics

Mark's Gospel is a simple, succinct, unadorned, yet vivid
account of Jesus' ministry, emphasizing more what Jesus
did than what he said. Mark moves quickly from one episode
in Jesus' life and ministry to another, often using the
adverb "immediately" (see note on 1:12). The book as a whole
is characterized as "The beginning of the gospel" (1:1).
The life, death and resurrection of Christ comprise the
"beginning," of which the apostolic preaching in Acts is the continuation.